Berkley Street School Celebrates the 100th Day

Each year, many classes at Berkley Street School celebrate the 100^th day of school. “Highlighting this day gives us a chance to integrate fun activities with instruction,” said Principal Patricia Aufiero. “Teachers connect this event with many curriculum areas such as language arts, math, art and social studies. It is a great opportunity to connect learning to a day that is of high-interest to students.”

The kindergarten classes began counting the days on the first day of school in anticipation of the 100^th day. They made 100^th day crowns and participated in language arts and math activities.

In the first grade, students completed the “Our Hearts are into Reading” project. Children read two books and wrote about their favorite parts. Each first grade class hung 25 hearts in the hallway to equal 100; they hung extras around their classrooms. In addition, the classes counted to 100, read books about the number 100 and the 100^th day and wore 100th day headbands or buttons.

In addition, first grade classes celebrated the day in other ways.   Mrs. Beiner’s class made a 100^th day poster and read 100 words and 100^th day poems. The children in Mrs. Eagleson’s room counted the 100 gumballs in their gumball machine and graphed the results to reveal the class’s favorite color. They also learned about “Fair Shapes” by dividing up their edible treats, drank 100 ounces of juice and wrote about what they would buy if they had $100.

Mrs. Flieger’s students brought in 100 items to count, placed 100 stickers on a grid and completed a 100^th day activity packet. Mrs. Schlatter’s first graders wrote about three things they would love to have 100 of and one item they would not want 100 of! They also counted objects to total 100 and sang a 100^th day song.

The second graders all celebrated the 100^th day in different ways. Miss Guardino’s class enjoyed a writing project for which students compared and contrasted what they think their lives will be like when they are 100 as opposed to now. They used the writing process to write two paragraphs, one about how life might be different and one about how it might stay the same. The class then created their 100 year-old selves on large paperand wrote the final copy of their paragraphs on them. The projects are displayed in the second grade hallway.

Miss Meyer’s class had the unique experience of visiting with a 100 year-old woman! The class sent “Miss Edith” cards for her birthday January 11 and were excited when she and her son John came to visit. Miss Edith answered many questions the children had about her childhood in Bergen County. “It was hard for them to imagine how different her life was from theirs,” said Meyer. After the visit, each student wrote a news article about this event.

Miss Stich’s class read a book entitled The Hundred Penny Box by Sharon Bell Mathis in which a 100 year-old woman keeps a penny in a special box for each year of her life to remind her of the past. In connection with the story, students did at-home projects for which they wrote a memory and found a penny for each year of their lives.

Miss Petrone’s fourth graders wrote a story about what they would do if they found $100. They also flipped a coin 100 times and graphed the number of heads and tails. In addition, they learned to say 100 in different languages.

Miss Mayer’s special education class brought in 100 of "something" to share. The students wrote three clues to describe what was hidden in their paper bags. They also read a story called The Night Before the 100^th Day of School by Natasha Wing.  

“The 100^th day is one way teachers use an event to create interdisciplinary lessons,” said Aufiero. “It is a fun day with academic connections that students really enjoy.”

Upcoming Berkley Events…

Ø  March 1 is the PTO Meeting at 7:30 p.m. in the Media Center. A special presentation will be made by Superintendent Michael Polizzi.

Ø  March 2 is Dr. Seuss’s Birthday and Read Across America.

Ø  March 9 to 11 is the Scholastic Book Fair.

Ø  March 10 is Family Reading Night at 7 p. m.

Ø  March 11 is the Adult Tricky Tray at the V. F. W. in New Milford.